Home > News > The authors of Genshin Impact were forced to ban selling lootboxes to children and fined $20 million dollars

The authors of Genshin Impact were forced to ban selling lootboxes to children and fined $20 million dollars

by Aria Feb 23,2025

Cognosphere, the US publisher of Genshin Impact, has pleaded guilty to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges and agreed to a $20 million settlement. The FTC alleged Cognosphere engaged in deceptive practices, misleading players, particularly minors, about the value of in-game purchases and the odds of obtaining rare items. This violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The settlement includes a ban on in-app purchases by children under 16 without parental consent. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levin emphasized that companies employing deceptive "dark patterns" will face repercussions for misleading players, especially children and teens.

Meanwhile, HoYoverse's Zenless Zone Zero continues its mobile market dominance. The recent 1.4 update, "And the Starfall Came," saw a record-breaking $8.6 million in daily player spending on mobile platforms alone, surpassing its July 2024 launch peak. AppMagic data indicates Zenless Zone Zero has already amassed over $265 million in mobile revenue. The update introduced new characters (Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa), locations, game modes, and gameplay enhancements, fueling increased player spending.

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